More Than Just Napoleon’s Exile! Google is laying undersea cables to Saint Helena, the 19th stop on the “Interlink Domain Island Tour”, a place with a 187-year-old giant tortoise and many haunted spots.

A British territory, Saint Helena is known as the island where French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte was exiled until the end of his life. A more recent hot topic, Google announced that the latest technology would be used to lay undersea cables to St. Helena. After the domain expedition to Ascension Island where I investigated the one-ring-international-call hoax, now I am exploring the little known charms of St. Helena.
Sponsored by Interlink Co., Ltd. which deals with more than 1,000 Top Level Domains (TLDs) around the world, the Domain Island Tour is currently focused on about 50 types of “Island Domains” in the South Pacific and Caribbean, such as “.cc” “.tv” “.sx”, actually going to the these islands and reporting on their features.

◆Where is Saint Helena?

St. Helena, a British Colony, is a volcanic island located in the South Atlantic Ocean, 2,800 km from the west coast of Africa. It is only 122 square kilometers. It is also called a remote island. Administratively, it belongs to the British Overseas Territories of “Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha”, and the official language is English. The currency is the “Saint Helena Pound” (SHP), but British Pounds can also be used without any problem. All pound signs in the text are British pounds. One pound is about 141 yen (as of December 2019).


= Table of Contents =

◆Trouble in Johannesburg

◆Refueling and Arrival at the “World’s Most Unusable Airport”

◆Can We Go Even Though its Closed? ! Napoleon’s House and Jacob’s LadderCan We Go Even Though its Closed? ! Napoleon’s House and Jacob’s Ladder

◆This is where Google is Rumored to be Laying Undersea Cables! !

◆St. Helena is Full of Haunted Spots

◆Meeting the 187-year-old Giant Tortoise “Jonathan”

◆ Interesting Things Around St. Helena, and a 90-Year-Old Grandma Meeting Someone Japanese for the First Time

◆What to Eat on St. Helena

◆How to Purchase a SIM & Test the Internet Speed

 


◆Trouble in Johannesburg

From Japan, I head for the island St. Helena via Singapore and Johannesburg. In times past, it was only possible to get to Saint Helena by sea, once a month the Royal Mail ship went from Cape Town, South Africa, to Saint Helena, going 15 knots / hr. (28km / hr.), it took 4 nights and 5 days. However, since October 2017, Airlink has been scheduling flights from Johannesburg Airport to Saint Helena once a week.

Everything went fine until I got to Johannesburg. When leaving for St. Helena there was a problem at the O. R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg. For people going to St. Helena, it is mandatory to have overseas travel insurance. Our company credit cards have overseas travel insurance so I showed the lady at the check-in counter my credit card. But she just ignored the card, and said to me: “Show me your certificate.” I tried my best to explain in English, but her face was like a stone. She kept repeating: “You can’t go without a certificate.”

Of course, there’s no way to present a certificate, so eventually I was able to find the location on the credit card site where it stipulates the compensation for accidents etc. and finally, she let us go. Of course, it may depend on who you get behind the counter, but I recommend printing out your insurance documents (insurance certificate) in English, just in case. The internet connection (Wi-Fi) at the airport was good.

We finally got to the boarding gate for our flight to St. Helena. We made it in time. By the way, Johannesburg has a city domain name “.joburg”.

 


◆Refueling and Arrival at the “World’s Most Unusable Airport”

Two hours from Johannesburg we needed to refuel, so the plane stopped at Namibia’s Windhoek Hosea Kutako International Airport in the middle of the desert.

When we landed, they opened the airplane hatch, and lowered the gangway ladder. “We can get off and see the airport in the desert! I’m so excited.”

Then the flight attendant tells me I can’t get off. Well, so the refueling goes on. All in all, it took about an hour to refuel. By the way, the ccTLD for Namibia is “.na”.

An hour and 15 minutes from Windhoek Hosea Kutako International Airport, we arrive at the St. Helena International Airport. Just built in 2017, it’s a modern and beautiful new airport.

There’s an immigration tax of 20 pounds (about 2,800 yen) to enter the country. The entry stamp has birds and the departure stamp has a turtle. Very cute. This island has the world’s oldest giant tortoise, named “Jonathan”. Immigration taxes can also be paid in Euros, US dollars and South African Rands. Although the line for screening resident is crowded, the one for visitors is almost empty. There are not many tourists.

Souvenir mugs, coffee and chocolate are sold in the airport shops. Very different from Ascension Island airport, where there are no souvenirs for sale. There are also snacks and juice, it seems no different from an ordinary airport. Why was it called “the most useless airport in the world”? Well, because the airport took over 5 years to build, at a cost of about 285 million pounds (about 40.6 billion yen). It was supposed to open in 2016, but strong winds, which made taking off and landing more difficult than expected, delayed the opening ceremony. After more than a year of test flights and re-thinking things, the problem was finally solved by changing from the originally planned Boeing 737 to Embraer 190.※参考 AFP

 


◆Can We Go Even Though its Closed?! Napoleon’s House and Jacob’s Ladder

Saint Helena is known as the island where French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte was exiled. Napoleon’s mansion “Longwood House” is the most famous tourist attraction on the island. A 79-year-old veteran tour guide, Larry Johnson, took us to sightseeing spots and anywhere else we wanted to visit. The fees for Mr. Johnson were 200 pounds (about 28,000 yen) this was for 2 days, 2 people and included airport transfer and tip. We’re going to go to Longwood House, which has been featured many times on travel shows.

This is a volcanic island, and the airport is surrounded by magnificent rocks.

Gradually we get to areas with more greenery.

About 15km by car from the airport, I caught a glimpse of Jamestown, the largest town on the island. Built on a narrow strip of land in a valley with sides that go up about 150 meters, the population of Jamestown is around 600.

Exiled to Saint Helena in 1815, Napoleon lived at Longwood House until his death 6 years later. I was thrilled at the thought of entering Napoleon old home, but it wasn’t open. It was closed the weekend of our visit…

This is worse than the trouble in Johannesburg. But I don’t give up so easily. After talking with Larry, for a special fee of 150 pounds, they will open it for us! The price of 150 pounds is fixed and then divided by the number of participants. So, for two people, it’s 75 pounds per person. Open only from 11:00 to 13:00 on weekdays, admission is usually 10 pounds per person (about 1,400 yen).

Unfortunately, photography is not permitted inside. It had Napoleon’s favorite field bed, and his bathtub for his regular morning bath. Taking photos in the garden is allowed. Now under the control of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the garden is beautifully kept.

Napoleon – Spherical Image – RICOH THETA

I bought a postcard at the Longwood House gift shop. I sent off right away and it arrived in Japan 24 days later.

Comments left by previous visitors. There have only been a few Japanese besides us. Of course, there are not many people visiting such an isolated island.

By the way, the boots Napoleon wore in St. Helena were sold for 117,000 euros (about 14.1 million yen) at an auction in Paris.

 

Jacob’s Ladder is the second most famous tourist attraction after Longwood House. It’s a staircase with a total height of 183 meters and 699 steps. First constructed as a sloped cableway by a railway operator in 1829, it was rebuilt as a staircase by the Corps of Royal Engineers in 1871 for the purpose of moving supplies.

If you climb Jacob’s Ladder, you can get a certificate of ascension at the St. Helena Museum next door. The issuance fee was 5 pounds (about 700 yen) for 2 people. The certificate will be sent to Japan at a later date. In addition to this issuance fee, you must also pay museum admission. It’s a donation, so you can choose how much to put in. We put 10 pounds (1,400 yen) for two people. The museum, which opened in 2002, is housed in a power plant from the second half of the 18th century. There are many valuable old items, military uniforms, hats, and swords on display, telling the history of the island up to the present.

After completing the procedures to get our certificate of ascension, we finally face the challenge of the 699 steps. With my incredible leg muscles built up through the domain island tour, I figure about it will only take me about 10 minutes.

After climbing a bit, I looked down and my legs started to shake. After that, I was too scared to take pictures. I do not recommend this for anyone with a fear of heights.

From the top of Jacob’s ladder, you can see Jamestown far below. The 699 steps led us to an amazing view. All in all, it took about 15minutes to climb the steps.

Jacob’s Ladder(セントヘレナ島) – Spherical Image – RICOH THETA

Larry drove to the top and waited for us.

The certificate of ascension came 5 weeks after the ascent.

 


◆This is where Google is Rumored to be Laying Undersea Cables! !

There’s an exciting rumor in the news, that the government of Saint Helena invited Google to lay undersea cables in a project called “Equiano”. The news doesn’t mention the planned site for this big project. I heard from local people that the location is Sandy Bay. I decided to check it out.

We drive over hills and valleys, hills and valleys.

After we pass a coffee plantation,

the road starts to get worse and worse.

The road got so bad, it was impossible for Larry’s normal passenger car to keep going, so we got out of the car at this point. And walked to Sandy Bay.

It was about 15 minutes’ walk to Sandy Bay.

Strolling along the beach, is that a cable?!!

It seems to be some kind of hose, not a cable.

Ah, a mysterious floatation device.

Well, there’s nothing there yet, just a sandy beach, but the locals say this is the mystery location where the undersea cable will be laid. Maybe in the future, there will be a “Mid-Atlantic Cable Hub” that will lay undersea cables across the South Pacific via St. Helena.

Google海底ケーブル予定地(セントヘレナ島) – Spherical Image – RICOH THETA

 


◆St. Helena is Full of Haunted Spots

When I was looking at the map, I found a word I wasn’t familiar with. It said “haunted house”.

Larry said: “I don’t know this place on the map very well, but there are a few haunted houses on the island, I can take you to one of them”. So, we decided to take the “Haunted House of Oaklands Tour”.

We decided to go after dinner, so it was dark when we headed out.

We arrive at the haunted house. The admission was pretty high, 20 pounds (about 2,800 yen).

Once inside, our host Philip Mercury welcomed us. He told a scary story about this mansion that was hard to understand in English. I was quite scared because of the strange smells and an eerie atmosphere, but actually the drive to the mansion was even scarier.

There are other rumors of ghosts on St. Helena, such as at the Pilling School, Shy Road, Alarm House, and the Plantation House where “Jonathan”, the 187-year-old giant tortoise lives. After spending 45 minutes here, we drove past Jacob’s ladder lit up, and then went back to the hotel. That looks even scarier to climb at night.

 


◆Meeting the 187-year-old Giant Tortoise “Jonathan”

Although he’s so very old, Jonathan is virtually unknown in Japan. Before we go to meet Jonathan, we start the day with a delicious breakfast and the same fragrant coffee that Napoleon used to drink. This is really good coffee! It’s the kind of coffee that makes you think: “If I got to drink this coffee every day, maybe exile wouldn’t be so bad…”

Before meeting Jonathan, we went to High Knoll Fort on a little mountain 584 meters up. The British army built it in 1799 to prevent an invasion from the French army, and it was reopened in 2010 for tourists.

Finally, we get to Plantation House to meet Jonathan. The oldest giant tortoise in the world is just around the corner, but again… it’s closed. The main gate is open, but closed to visitors. I was really stunned that this would be closed on weekends.

But I want to meet Jonathan! So, I took my feelings to Larry, who said, “You might be able to see him from the outside,” and took us around to see.

There he is! The world’s oldest giant tortoise, 187-year-old Jonathan!

He’s moving! I wanted a chance to get to know him better, but there’s nothing to be done because it’s “closed”. At 187 years old, that means he was born in 1841. It was an honor to meet him.

 


◆ Interesting Things Around St. Helena, and a 90-Year-Old Grandma Meeting Someone Japanese for the First Time

Walking though Jamestown.

We met some of Larry’s friends. The lady on the left is over 90 years old. She was very healthy and energetic, and said “It’s the first time for me to meet a Japanese person.” Is St. Helena a kind of “longevity island”?

There’s a lot of wind power generation.

This was built to be an oil base, but failed somehow. Larry says there’s a lot of money wasted in this kind of way.

This area is called “CHINA LANE”, because there used to be a lot of Chinese workers living here.

There are several churches around China Lane, all of which have several hundred years of history.

The domain for the churches is “.church”.

The Jamestown Supermarket. Until around 2015, St. Helena Island was so short on supplies that people said it was like living in the Soviet Union. Of course, most things have to be imported, but there was better selection than I expected, everything from daily necessities to pet supplies.

A bulletin board in the supermarket. Some kind of picture book for children? The domain “.sh” is used in the email address.

Information on discounts for bulk purchasing in front of the supermarket. The domain for this email address was also “.sh”.

The air conditioner in the Hotel was a Japanese DAIKIN. Speaking of which, the air-conditioner on Ascension Island was made by Fujitsu. Did these Japanese companies really come to do business on such remote islands? It’s amazing.

 


◆What to Eat on St. Helena

The sunset from the remote island of Saint Helena is spectacularly beautiful. But of course, I’m soon hungry. We head to a restaurant run by Larry’s friend.

This lady friend of Larry’s recently opened the restaurant and called it “Rosie’s”.

She serves beef, chicken, mutton, seafood etc. The price is reasonable.

Since there is no local beer in St. Helena, we drink South African beer.

The seafood is flavored with coconut and curry. It’s very good.

Classic fish sauté.

The beef steak that Larry ordered. There was a good quantity of everything.

 


◆◆ How to Purchase a SIM & Test the Internet Speed

I purchased a SIM card at “Sure”, a shop which offers broadband services at Saint Helena Airport. The cost was 18 pounds (about 2,500 yen). The staff at the store didn’t know how to make it work, so I tried by myself to install the SIM, but I couldn’t get it activated.

I tried again at the hotel near Longwood House, but it still won’t connect… I wasn’t able to use it the whole time I was there.

I gave up using the SIM, and tried to use the hotel Wi-Fi. We stayed at the “Mantis St Helena”, but you can only connect to their Wi-Fi at certain times, such as midnight or early morning, and it doesn’t work when there are many users. It was the worst internet environment in the history of the Domain Island Tour. When those undersea cables are laid, this island of about 4,500 people will be connected to an ultra-high-speed Internet of several terabits per second, and the network environment will change completely.

Well, it’s time to go back to Japan. When I saw Saint Helena Airport from the sky, I realized that it was more “cliff-top” than I imagined. So glad we were able to land and take off safely.

 


In 18 Hours, a Furious Exploration of the Attractions of Ascension Island, with 11 Meals out of 14 In-flight

There are so many travel programs on Japanese television that highlight beautiful locations around the world. However, it seems unlikely that any of them feature Ascension Island. Why doesn’t anyone go? For the 17th stop on the Domain Island Tour, with 11 out of my 14 meals inflight, and I do a madcap 18-hour tour to find the attractions of Ascension Island. What kind of mysterious things will I discover? The ccTLD (country code top level domain) of Ascension Island is “.ac”.

◆Where is Ascension Island?

Ascension Island, a volcanic island belonging to the UK, is in the South Atlantic. It was discovered in 1501, but then it was rediscovered in 1503, and named Ascension Island after Ascension Day, the rediscovery date. There are no indigenous people on this island. The occupants are company or organization workers and their families, with a population of about 1,100 to 1,200 people. There are also about 150 US troops station on Ascension Island. The administrative office is located in Georgetown.

= Table of Contents =

◆Minimum length of stay: “1 day” or “1 month”!

◆How to Purchase a SIM Locally & Test the Internet Speed

◆Cherry Trees on Green Mountain

◆BBC Radio Relay Facilities, Shark Beach and Dinner

◆I Can’t Use a 5 Pound Bill? Community Hall Style Bar & Club

◆Ascension Island, Home of the Largest Marine Reserve in the Atlantic

◆Interesting Things on Ascension Island; “Caution Camels” but There are no Camels

 


◆Minimum length of stay: “1 day” or “1 month”!

To get to Ascension Island from Japan, a visa is required and tickets need to be arranged by email. Also, there is no alternate route besides the monthly Saint Helena to Ascension round trip. The day after the arriving flight (St. Helena → Ascension), exactly 18 hours later, the return flight departs (Ascension → St. Helena). If you don’t make this flight, the next one is a month later. In other words, the minimum length of stay in Ascension is either “1 day” or “1 month”. For the Domain Island Tour, I have chosen to stay “1 day” (approximately 18 hours).

I arrive at Ascension Island via (last to first) St. Helena, Namibia, Johannesburg and Singapore.
After 21.5 hours of flying, I finally land on the island. I will tell you all about the attractions of Ascension Island, where no TV travel programs venture and you can only stay for about 18 hours.

Besides the immigration counter, there’s nothing but a space for kids to play. After immigration, I wait for the ok from staff in a waiting area. Even if immigration goes smoothly, you still need to wait about 10 minutes. There’s no shops. The RAF (Royal Air Force Station) Ascension Airport arrival lobby is small and neat.

There is no taxi or Uber. I was safely able to meet the local guide I booked in the airport parking lot.
At 17:22 pm, we start the tour!!

It’s a nice weather in spite of a few clouds.

While driving, I saw many pipes. These are important pipes that send water to local houses and buildings.


◆How to Purchase a SIM Locally & Test the Internet Speed

First, I check in at my accommodations “JAMS ACCOMMODATION”. It was about 20 minutes’ drive from the airport.
I want to buy a SIM card from “Sure”, the only provider that offers mobile broadband service on Ascension Island, but it’s a Saturday, which is a holiday. Tomorrow, Sunday, it will also be closed.

When I told the owner of JAMS that I wanted an internet connection, she showed me a closed convenience store next to the hotel. She opened the convenience store and allowed me to purchase a “Wi-Fi hotspot service” for 20 £ / day. You cannot use au and softbank roaming services (not sure yet about docomo). Consider yourself warned.

The speed is fine. I can use it without a problem.

The convenience store is run by the owner of JAMS.

And, the air conditioner in the room is Fujitsu. During my stay, I didn’t see any other Japanese brands.


◆Cherry Trees on Green Mountain

We head for Green Mountain National Park. At 859m above sea level, it’s the highest mountain on Ascension Island, it’s also famous for being an artificial forest. Actually, I heard a rumor that there are cherry trees on this mountain.

It’s 10 mins by car from the hotel. We arrive at Green Mountain. And start going up

We go up and up. The view starts to improve.

I see a crab. Sorry we scared you.

Then sheep.

It starts to get jungle like. The tropical forest on Green Mountain is man-made, the only one in the world grown from nothing. We drive onto steep winding road called the mountain ramp.

As soon as we enter the jungle area, the fog starts to thicken.

About 10 mins into our ascent. We reach the “Red Lion”. This was used to house farm workers.

The road named “Zig Zag” is not so zig-zaggy.

From here on there is a hiking trail, but since I’m short on time we’re going to head back down.

I looked carefully on the decent as well, but I found no cherry trees.

I found a rabbit. On Ascension Island, all wildlife other than rats and rabbits are protected by law.

At 18:22 while looking at Georgetown in the distance I asked Andrew, my guide, about the cherry trees. “Cherry Trees on Green Mountain? I don’t know. I’ve never heard of it.” he answered. I showed him a photo with cherry tree, but still he doesn’t know where it is.

After going back down, I asked the owner of JAMS. But she said “I’ve never seen or heard of it”. So maybe the rumor about cherry trees on Green Mountain was bogus. The next day, Andrew told me, “I figured out about the cherry trees!” It seems he asked a friend, and those cherry trees are in an area that we didn’t go. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find them myself, but why don’t you go take a look?

 

Climate Change and “Ascension Island”

On a Remote Island, Lessons In How Ecosystems Function

Green Mountain National Park

Ascension 3 Green Mountain


◆BBC Radio Relay Facilities, Shark Beach and Dinner

The BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) has set up broadcast relay stations on Ascension Island for South Africa and South America. I’m going to go, because it’s one of the few sightseeing spots on the island. We drive through some rough terrain.

We get closer and closer to big steel towers.

At 18:42, we arrive at the BBC Radio Relay facility. A large area is filled with rows of steel towers.

There a famous beach called “English Bay” across the road. It’s a pristine little beach.

Next, we head for “Long Beach”. First, we stop at a lookout point to get a full view of the beach.

About 10 minutes after the lookout point, we arrive at “Long Beach”. There’s a sign with a warning about sharks.

By 19:18, it’s pretty dark. I go to the “Volcano Club” in Georgetown for dinner.
On the way there, I encountered a cute donkey who kindly posed for the camera. The last “wildlife” of the day.

We arrive at the restaurant. I order a hamburger and fried chicken set. It was busy, so I had to wait about 20 mins. The “Volcano Club” is run by the US army and is the only restaurant on the island where you can sit down and eat. Its open nightly, Tuesday through Saturday. They only accept payment in U.S. dollars, British pounds or St. Helena pounds. British pounds and St. Helena pounds can be used anywhere on the island.

Unfortunately, the taste wasn’t that great.


◆I Can’t Use a 5 Pound Bill? Community Hall Style Bar & Club

At 21:09 I go to the “Two Boats Club” to explore the nightlife on the island, it’s about 5 mins walk from my accommodations.

The bar counter. In front of the counter is an outdoor space with a table. People enjoy talking while drinking beer or some other drink. The atmosphere is lively. They seemed a little surprised to see a Japanese person, rare in these parts, but I felt quite safe. I ordered beer, and gin and tonic.

When I went to pay with a 5-pound bill, they gave it back to me and said, “You can’t use it, it’s too old”.
I didn’t know it, but new 5- and 10-pound bills were issued in September 2016, and the old bills expired on May 5th, 2017. Fortunately, I had a new bank note, so the matter didn’t turn serious, but who would know unless they frequently visit British territory? This photo is of the notice posted in the RAF Ascension Island Airport Departure Lobby. It would be a lot more helpful if placed in the Arrivals Lobby.

On the far side of the bar counter there is a room. If you go in, at the entrance there are two slot machines that take pound coins. It’s the tiniest of casinos. By the way, the domain for the tiny casino is “.casino”.

It looks like a dance floor in a community center. But no one is dancing yet. The disco ball is dazzling. The DJ is checking the sound system. The DJ has a PC, no CDs or records. He’s a standard PCDJ.

At the bar, a group of men were excitedly having some kind of competition.

It’s a “Skittles” game. Skittles is an old turf game in Europe, the play is almost the same as bowling. Without having to go into Georgetown, it’s a great bar & club for local people to enjoy drinking, singing and dancing.

At 21:45 I return to my accommodations. It was only a 5-minute walk away, so I could hear the party going on until midnight. For those who were thinking of coming here, keep in mind that you might not sleep well.

 


◆Ascension Island, Home of the Largest Marine Reserve in the Atlantic

The government of Ascension Island has set aside a marine protected area of 440,000 square kilometers around the island. This marine protected area is the largest in the Atlantic. Since it is said to be “incredibly beautiful”, at 7:45 the morning of my second day, in the midst of a light drizzle, I set out to look for some beautiful nature. I found a nicely maintained road a short way from my hotel. I decide to check it out.

This area is called Sisters Peak and was an active volcano until about 600 years ago.

I could see a road near the summit, so I search for the start of the trail, but I couldn’t find it.

Is it because the weather is bad? I don’t feel like I’m finding beautiful nature, so I turn back. Later, when I researched Sisters Peak, it was recommended to bring heavy hiking boots, plenty of water, a hat, and sunscreen. I guess it was impossible for us in our sneakers anyways.

I check out at 9:15 am, to make the 11:15 departure for St. Helena. If I don’t make this flight, the next one is a month later. So I hurry a bit and head to the airport, about 20 mins away by car. On the way, I meet a donkey again. These donkeys are the “last wildlife” of my stay. I couldn’t find “beautiful nature”, but I was happy because I found some cute wild animals. By the way, it seems to rain easily in the morning and evening.

I arrive at the airport at 9:40. I safely made it onto my plane.

Regarding our meals in this Ascension Island trip, 11 out of 14 meals were actually in-flight meals. The local dinner that I always look forward to was a bit disappointing, but I was happy just to be able to eat on solid ground.

Day 1: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner: in-flight meals (Singapore Airlines)
Day 2: Breakfast, Lunch: in-flight meals (South African Airways)
Dinner: On solid ground (The Volcano Club, Ascension Island)
Day 3: Breakfast: On solid ground (last night’s leftovers eaten at the hotel, Ascension Island)
Lunch, Dinner: in-flight meals (South African Airways)
Day 4: Breakfast: On solid ground (Hotel, Johannesburg)
Lunch, Dinner, Breakfast and Lunch: in-flight meals (Singapore Air)

 


◆Interesting Things on Ascension Island; “Caution Camels” but There are no Camels

  • Driving around I saw some signs that I never see in Japan. Watch out for crabs.

Watch out for sheep.

Watch out for camels. Camels…? Are there camels on the island? When I asked Andrew, he said “There’s no camels”. So, what is this sign saying to watch out for?

The correct answer was “Watch out for Humps.” “Hump” is a term that generally means a raised ridge set at intervals in a road surface to control the speed of vehicles by bouncing them up and down as they pass. In general, there are many “Watch out for Hump”
signs, like signs that say “Speed Hump” or have a raised object pictogram, but it’s very unique to call attention to the speed humps by using a camel’s hump on the sign. You could use signs representing raised objects, like these.

 

  • A hotel that opens only once a month. It seems it’s not open except when staff come via the once-a-month plane.

 

  • Across the road from “Sure” is the Ascension Island Government Building. It is pink.

 

  • In the departure lobby of RAF Ascension Island Airport, I find a shop that was not in the arrival lobby! I can buy souvenirs to take home! Well, no, because inside there were only cigarettes, perfume, drinks and snacks.

 

  • Free charging station. USB is not available.

 

  • I saw a British soldier working at the airport. As a general rule, flights between the UK and Ascension Island are not available to the general public, except in cases of sudden illness. Until 2 years ago, they were available to the public, but currently the runway is under repair, so only small airplanes can take off and land.

 

  • Going outside of the departure lobby, there’s a smoking area. It is one of the few airports where you can take a break while viewing the airplane you are going to board.

There was also a coffee shop outside.

 

So, this was my madcap exploration of Ascension Island. With only one flight a month, you can only choose a “one day” or “one month” stay on this island with very few attractions. As you can see from the fact that they don’t sell “Ascension Island Souvenirs” at the airport, there’s not many tourists visiting. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find any particular reason for the TV travel shows to take notice of this solitary island.